The invention relates to an adjustment device for ergonomically setting a vehicle seat with several adjustable seat components and/or for ergonomically setting vehicle components that can be adjusted as a function of the position of the seat.
Such an adjustment device is known, for example, from the prior art German patent document DE 199 29 418 B4. In order to ergonomically set a vehicle seat with several adjustable seat components and/or in order to ergonomically set vehicle components (such as the inside mirror, the outside mirror or the steering wheel adjustment device) that are adjustable as a function of the position of the seat, the prior art adjustment device has a control unit for automatically setting at least one selection of the adjustable components as a function of the vehicle occupant data. The control unit has a memory, in which the vehicle occupant data, which are necessary for automatically setting all of the adjustable components, can be stored without the aid of sensors located inside the vehicle.
A selection, or all, of the adjustable components can be automatically set, as desired, as a function of the vehicle occupant data. The automatic setting can be initiated, for example, by actuating a single operator control element, which is provided for this purpose, or without actuating an operator control element in the case of an automatic identification, for example, by use of a personalized keyless entry remote. Preferably, the data of multiple vehicle occupants can be entered and selected by way of a single operator control element, for example, a key, a push-button, a rotary knob, or by way of a personalized keyless entry remote.
The adjustment device or, more specifically, the control unit has algorithms or empirically determined characteristic map data, by which the ergonomically optimal settings of the components are calculated from the vehicle occupant data. Then, the control unit actuates, as a function of the computer results, the actuators that are necessary for setting the respective components.
In a first alternative, the vehicle has preferably an input unit, which is to be operated manually and by which an operating person can enter the vehicle occupant data, such as the body height, knee height, hip joint height, shoulder height and the cervical vertebra length, into the memory of the control unit. For example, the input unit can be a keyboard, which is present in any event in the vehicle and which is a part of the on-board computer.
In a second alternative, the vehicle has preferably a read-in unit, by which the necessary vehicle occupant data can be read into the memory of the control unit from a data medium. The data medium can be, for example, a personalized vehicle key in the broadest sense (for example, also an identification card or a code transmitter), by which a wireless read-in by radio is possible. Given the expectation that a driver's own personalized key will be used, the correct set of vehicle occupant data is always activated automatically.
Preferably, the data medium obtains the necessary vehicle occupant data from a scanner system in order to optimize its accuracy; and the respective vehicle occupant was three dimensionally scanned by way of this scanner system. Such scanner systems are already used, for example, in the fashion industry.
Furthermore, mechanical and electric seat adjustment devices with a plurality of levers or switches that are to be operated for the seat components and setting options, such as the longitudinal and vertical adjustment of the seat cushions, inclination of the backrest and/or the entire seat, the position of the lumbar support, the height and inclination of the headrest, the width of the transverse side of the seat, the length of the leg support, etc., are well known. In order to reduce the complexity of the setting operations, electric seat adjustment devices have so-called memory switches, which usually allow one of two preprogrammable seat settings to be chosen with the actuation of only one switch, but first these seat settings have to have been set previously by hand by use of the plurality of switches.
The object of the present invention is to further improve an adjustment device of the type described at the outset in terms of a precise ergonomic setting of adjustable components and in terms of a reduction in the complexity of the setting operations.
This and other objects are achieved by an adjustment device for ergonomically setting a vehicle seat with adjustable seat components and/or for ergonomically setting vehicle components, which can be adjusted as a function of the position of the seat, with a control unit for automatically setting at least one selection of the seat components and/or the vehicle components as a function of the vehicle occupant data. The control unit has a memory, in which the vehicle occupant data or data derived therefrom can be stored. The data enable an automatic setting of the adjustable seat components and/or vehicle components. There is a read-in unit, by which the data can be read into the memory from a mobile data medium. The data medium obtains the vehicle occupant data in the form of a defined two dimensional image from a digital image acquisition system. The image is to be taken in a predefined way. An input unit, which is to be operated manually, is provided in the form of a touch screen, on which defined positions of body members can be set in a superposed manner on the image, shown on the touch screen, by way of at least one marking bar, which can be displaced on the display with a finger.
The invention constitutes a further development of the German patent document DE 10 2010 028 580, which was filed by the applicant here and which is not a prior publication. This document describes a simplification of the method for determining the necessary vehicle occupant data and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. In this case, a simple two dimensional image acquisition system is used, in particular a device for creating or storing digital photos, which the vehicle occupant keeps close at hand. Especially advantageous are digital mobile terminal devices, such as mobile telephones with a photo function, portable digital cameras, PCs or laptops with attached Webcam or other digital storage devices with standardized interfaces (such as the iPod, iPad, iPhone or other multimedia units).
It is known to provide mobile terminal devices (like mobile telephones, digital cameras or other portable digital storage devices) with a Bluetooth or USB interface. Moreover, motor vehicles are already equipped with such standardized interfaces as a read-in unit for attachment for such devices. Other applicable standard interfaces as a read-in unit are, for example, the diagnostic interface, the Internet or WLAN.
The adjustment device according to the invention has, in particular, a control unit with a memory, in which vehicle occupant data can be stored; and these vehicle occupant data enable an automatic setting of all of the adjustable seat components and/or vehicle components. In this case, a read-in unit is provided, for example, in the form of a known standard interface, by which the necessary vehicle occupant data can be read into the memory of the control unit from a data medium that is located outside the vehicle or, respectively, from a mobile data medium. The data medium obtains at least the necessary vehicle occupant data in the form of a defined two dimensional image from a digital image acquisition system. The control unit is provided with an algorithm that is stored in the memory; and this algorithm determines the proportions of given body parts in relation to each other, in particular, from the two dimensional image in such a way that the results can be used to derive a defined, at least relative, automatic setting of the seat components and/or the vehicle components.
As an alternative to the control unit, the data medium, in particular the memory of a mobile terminal unit can comprise, in the form of an “App,” the algorithm for determining the body proportions from the two dimensional image as well as comprise the algorithm, based on empirical findings, for the ergonomically optimal setting of the seat components and/or vehicle components. As a result, the desired positions of the components to be set are then transferred directly to the control unit by way of the data medium. The control unit stores, for example, the positions in the memory and then moves, if desired automatically, to these positions. This procedure makes it possible to implement the function in such a way that maintenance is easy.
Preferably, an input unit that is to be operated by hand is provided. Using this input unit, an operating person can store his height in the control unit or in the data medium. Then, the control unit or the data medium is programmed in such a way that in conjunction with the determined proportions a defined absolute automatic setting of the seat components and/or vehicle components can be derived.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.